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Ikolo community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Monday, has appealed to governments at all levels to come to their aid following an alleged invasion and killing of some natives of the community by their neighbouring community of Aku, also in Igbo-Etiti.<\/p>\n

The President General of Ikolo community, Chief Jude Okike Odo, told newsmen that media reports claiming that his community attacked Aku community, resulting in some casualties a few days ago, were false, misleading and an attempt to twist the truth<\/p>\n

According to Odo, \u201cThe attention of Ikolo Elders\u2019 Forum and Ikolo General Assembly has been drawn to the invasion of Ikolo community by the youths from Aku community. It is very unfortunate. Ikolo community is a law-abiding community.\u201d<\/p>\n

He traced the root of the problem to a land dispute, which he said the state government had agreed to intervene.<\/p>\n

He, however, said the state government not being proactive had led to avoidable casualties on the side of his community.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cThere was an allegation against one Chibueze Anidobi, a herbalist from Ikolo, by some people from Aku.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was alleged that three persons from Aku, who claimed to have gone to Chibueze\u2019s house to get medicine to treat their sick relative, could not be found since August 2, 2024 after their trip to his house.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was reported to Ogbede Police Station, and Anidobi was detained. To exonerate himself from the police, the herbalist paid N300, 000 to Ogbede Police Station to track the phone numbers of the missing persons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the tracking was ongoing, some youths from Aku invaded Ogbede Police Station, insisting that Chibueze must be released to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe police refused. Aku people, while returning, invaded Ikolo, killing one Mmesoma Omeke, who was at her uncle\u2019s house. She was shot and killed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe matter was reported to the commissioner of police by HRH Igwe Gabriel Ezugwu.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe divisional police officer, when contacted, told us that he sent some men, but they were waiting for reinforcement because of the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n

On how the matter degenerated, the PG said, \u201cWe have been calling on the state government to come because land dispute is causing the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deputy governor intervened, but they are yet to come to demarcate the land as they promised. This killing is getting too much. Our lives are in danger.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn March 25th of this year, one Felix Odo, from Ikolo, was killed by the same group. On May 18, Maduabuchi Ude was shot and killed at Amete. Amaka Ezugwu was shot and currently receiving treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe state should rescue us. Aku people are larger than we are. They want to extinct us. They should come before it is too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

He claimed that Ikolo community had never initiated attacks against Aku community, adding that the two communities were peaceful and inter-marrying until the land dispute erupted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is unfortunate on how Aku youths and leaders of thought couldn\u2019t wait for the police to finish their investigation and rather resort to killing of Ikolo people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reasons are simple, they are more than us in number, wealth and influence. We need to be protected, otherwise the Ikolo we know today, shall be seen no more,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re going into extinction \u2013 Enugu community cries out<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ikolo community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Monday, has appealed to governments at all levels to come…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1757,15],"tags":[8,1619,274,137,23747,1371,280,180,241,2319],"class_list":["post-46741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-enugu","category-news","tag-akwa-ibom","tag-community","tag-cries","tag-enugu","tag-extinction","tag-going","tag-into","tag-news","tag-out","tag-were"],"yoast_head":"\n